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The investigation into potential collusion between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign took a fresh twist on Tuesday when it was revealed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned by the special counsel’s office last week.
Few senior figures who served in both the Trump campaign and administration are still to be interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the Russia investigation, leaves the Capitol in Washington
Mueller is aiming to question Trump himself about decisions to fire national security adviser Michael Flynn and former FBI director James Comey.
Donald Trump with US Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Why is Sessions important?
Sessions was the first US senator to endorse Trump's candidacy and served as a campaign adviser before being appointed attorney general.
Trump criticized Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the Russia probe last March after reports that he had failed to disclose 2016 meetings with Moscow's then-ambassador, Sergei Kislyak.
Mueller's team is expected to be interested in meetings between Sessions and Kislyak during the campaign, as well as the attorney general's involvement in Trump's firing of Comey, an episode central to the question of whether Trump may have committed obstruction of justice.
CNN reported that Sessions is the 15th member of the Trump administration, including former and current officials, known to have been interviewed in the Russia investigation.
Trump 'not concerned'
Trump shrugged off questions about Sessions' interview on Tuesday, telling reporters at the White House, "I'm not at all concerned."
Discussions have already taken place between Trump's personal lawyers and Mueller's team about the possibility of an interview, a source told Reuters.
Trump refused this month to commit to being questioned by Mueller.
Mueller has interviewed Comey, it emerged on Tuesday, and has struck a deal to talk to former strategist Steve Bannon.
Little-known Bannon associate, George Nader, has spoken with the special counsel’s team at least twice, Axios reported on Monday.
Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the White House would not stand in the way of the probe.
"We're going to be fully cooperative with the special counsel," she said. "We want to see this come to a complete and full conclusion."
What is Mueller investigating?
Mueller took over the FBI's investigation into potential collusion between Russia and US President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign after Trump fired Comey as the bureau’s director in May 2017.
US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 campaign using hacking and propaganda to attempt to tilt the race in favor of Trump.
Russia has denied interfering in the election and Trump has denied collusion with Russia.
Four people – Flynn, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Manafort's associate Rick Gates, and campaign adviser George Papadopoulos – have so far been charged as a result of the Mueller inquiry.
The US president has dismissed the investigation a "witch hunt" and "hoax."
(REUTERS&CGTN)
